1Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, California
State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
2Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado
State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

This study examines scuba divers as a vital segment of the marine tourism
market. To better understand scuba divers, motivation, expectations, and
expectation outcomes were measured. A survey including 28 motivation statements
adapted from the recreation experience preference scales was administered
to 300 divers diving with different dive operators in the Florida Keys
in summer 2002. Eighteen expectation variables with outcome statements
were measured in a pre- and posttest format (expectations before the trip
and outcomes after the dive trip). Nonparametric tests revealed differences
between divers of different levels of development (i.e., beginning, intermediate,
advanced, expert, postexpert). Beginners dove for the challenge and excitement
while advanced divers dove to be with similar people, use equipment, and
see shipwrecks. Findings show differences between Boy Scouts in a youth
adventure program and divers (domestic and international) diving with a
regular dive shop. Scouts dove for adventure and excitement. Scouts showed
the highest scores in postevent expectation variables. Implications for
dive operations to improve diver preparations are given.

Interactions between fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus
and A. forsteri) and tour boats at Montague Island were investigated
between November 1997 and November 1998. The fur seals were in four haul-out
sites, which are referred to here as colonies. The study was instigated
by the management requirement of the National Parks and Wildlife Service
of New South Wales to determine effects of disturbance from tour boats
on the fur seal colonies. At each of 84 inspections, distance between the
boat and the colony was measured and seal behavior (or response) was recorded
11 times at 15-second intervals as the boat moved toward the seals. This
period of 2.5 minutes was approximately the time tour boats stayed at a
colony. Behavior of the fur seals ashore was recorded in four categories
of increasing disturbance from "Resting" to "Many moving." From analyses
using multinomial models, the probability of observing a given response
by the fur seals and the pattern of the responses as a function of distance
from the colony were both influenced by the colony under observation. In
general, fur seals' responses were significantly correlated with distance
between the study boat and the colony, and with the size of the colony
(i.e., number of fur seals visible ashore). In all cases, the probability
of the colony remaining in the "Resting" category decreased as the distance
between the colony and the study boat decreased. Similarly the probability
of the colony showing the maximum response ("Many moving") increased as
the distance decreased. The probability of New Zealand fur seals "Resting"
was higher than for Australian fur seals. Tour boats approaching the colonies
had a relatively small effect on the fur seals; few or none of them ran
to the sea. Based on results from this study, we recommended that the minimum
approach distance of tour boats to the fur seal colonies at Montague Island
should be 40 m; other recommendations involved how tour boats approach
the fur seal colonies. The former has been gazetted as a government regulation
and the other recommendations have been incorporated into the license conditions
for the tour boats operators.

The Effectiveness of an Established Sanctuary Zone for Reducing Human
Disturbance to Australian Sea Lions (Neophoca Cinerea) at Carnac
Island, Western Australia

Chandra P. Salgado Kent and Brett Crabtree

Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University of Technology,
Perth, Australia

This study tested the effectiveness of a recently established sanctuary
zone on Carnac Island (Western Australia) in reducing human disturbances
to Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea). Several methods of recording
behaviors were also tested to clarify their adequacy for detecting human
disturbances. Observations made between March 2005 and September 2006 (98
observations over 16 days) indicated that a wireless camera was effective
for monitoring sea lions unobtrusively, and continuous and instantaneous
observations were both generally effective in monitoring levels of human
disturbance. The sanctuary zone was ineffective in that sea lions hauled
out more often in the adjacent recreational zone, even though the sanctuary
was established based on previous observations. This study concluded that
sea lions are more likely to haul out where environmental attributes along
a beach are suitable. Because environmental conditions are variable over
time, a fixed sanctuary zone will only aid in reducing impacts when conditions
are suitable in that zone. The authors recommend that future sanctuaries
should include entire stretches of useable beach to be effective.

This study explored the concept of social carrying capacity to identify
an acceptable use level for a marine park reserve. Many studies have examined
a social capacity of the outdoor recreation sites, whereas few studies
have been conducted in the ocean recreation settings. The study attempts
to identify a social carrying capacity of a marine park based on the users'
evaluation of crowding. Based on the perceived level of crowding, the results
suggest that the use level of Hanauma Bay (the Bay) is exceeding capacity.
This article provides suggested use levels to implement a social carrying
capacity management system.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and
fields of study, including monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching
activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching
management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of
whale watching on communities hosting such activities. One field of study
that is attracting more attraction is the conflicting uses of marine mammals
as a resource: nonconsumptive (whale watching) versus consumptive (whaling).
This article is the latest in a series of annual digests that describes
the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published since June
2006.